Plump sweet potatoes store just as well as skinny ones, and they have more usable “meat” to consume. If harvesting the sweet potatoes yourself, use a spade fork to dig 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) beneath the soil in order to get all the roots up. Handle them carefully since sweet potatoes tend to bruise easily, and shake off excess dirt but do not wash the roots. [1] X Research source

The sweet potatoes need to cure for at least 7 days, but they can be kept there for as many as 14 days. The curing process creates a second skin that forms over scratches and bruises, allowing the sweet potatoes to last longer in storage. Use a small electric fan in the area to keep the air circulating. This helps to prevent rotting and molding. Monitor the temperature and humidity regularly to make sure that the sweet potatoes are sitting in the conditions needed for proper curing. For best results, keep the sweet potatoes from touching each other as they cure.

Bruised sweet potatoes have not cured correctly, so they will not last as long as the other sweet potatoes and may even cause the other sweet potatoes to spoil faster.

Newspaper and brown paper bags are both fairly breathable, providing just enough air circulation to prevent the sweet potatoes from rotting too quickly.

Do not use an airtight storage container. Place an apple in the box. The apple will help prevent the sweet potatoes from budding.

For best results, store the sweet potatoes in a basement or root cellar. If neither option is available to you, store them in a dark, cool, and well-ventilated cupboard or pantry away from strong heat sources. [5] X Research source Do not use a refrigerator. Monitor the temperature frequently to make sure that it does not fall below or rise above this range. Stored in this manner, the sweet potatoes can last up to 6 months. Remove them from storage gently to prevent bruising.

Rinsing the sweet potatoes under running water is not enough to clean them. In order to get them thoroughly clean, you should gently scrub them with a vegetable brush. Scrub gently to avoid bruising the flesh. If you do not have a vegetable peeler, you can also remove the skin with a small paring knife that has a smooth blade. Start with fresh sweet potatoes to maximize the length of time they can be stored.

You need to cook the sweet potatoes before you can freeze them, as raw sweet potatoes tend to break down and lose both flavor and nutrients in the freezer. Boiling is the preferred method of cooking sweet potatoes for freezer storage. The boiling process should take about 20 minutes for a standard-size sweet potato.

Do not store the cooked sweet potatoes whole. You could also use an electric mixer to beat the sweet potatoes into a mashed consistency, instead.

Make sure that the sweet potatoes are coated in the lemon juice. Lemon juice can prevent discoloration, but you should only use a small amount to avoid altering the taste. [8] X Trustworthy Source National Center for Home Food Preservation Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food Go to source

Freezing the sweet potatoes while warm can cause condensation to build in the container, causing them to spoil sooner.

Do not use metal or glass containers.